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Conventional beverage containers typically have a tab actuator that may be pivoted to shear a drink opening in the top of the container. It is a shortcoming of such containers that they do not provide a means by which the drink opening is protected from the entry of insects, dusts, and other objectionable debris. It is also a shortcoming of these containers that once opened, they do not provide a means to prevent spillage at times when the container is jostled, bumped, or otherwise casually disturbed.
Various types of beverage container drink opening covers have been proposed in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,801 for example, discloses a cover that is built into the container at the time of manufacture. This flow through device includes a plurality of apertures that align with the drink opening to allow the consumer to drink from the can while preventing insects from entering the container.
Since this cover is built into the container, it will be discarded after one use. Moreover, due to the increased cost of manufacturing, this device has not been shown to be commercially viable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,326 discloses a consumer applied device that uses an adhesive as the means by which a flow through cover is attached to the container. The use of an adhesive in this manner limits the devise to a disposable, one time use cover that is considered wasteful and requires the inconvenience and cost of purchasing replacement covers.
Because the above described and other flow through devices do not completely cover the drink opening, they fail to fully protect the container from the entry objectionable debris. Furthermore, because insects are attracted to the beverage inside the container, these flow through devices do not prevent the presence of insects at or near the drink opening.
Flow through devices also do not provide a means to prevent spillage at times when the container is jostled, bumped, or otherwise casually disturbed. Further, because the device comes in contact with the beverage during use, cleaning is required before reuse and storage. Flow through devises also alter the flow characteristics of the beverage as well as impart an unexpected, uncomfortable, or otherwise unusual feel when drinking from the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,379 discloses a cover for a beverage container in which the cover fits over the entire top of the container. Although this devise is reusable by design, it""s shape and size makes it inconvenient and cumbersome to carry.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,830 discloses a devise that is attached to the tab actuator. The cover is fitted with a locking section that is snapped over the lip of the container to secure the cover over the drink opening. The cover must be unsnapped before it can be adjusted to expose the drink opening. Snapping and unsnapping the devise will challenge the work hardening of the tab actuator and cause it to fail after repeated adjustments.
The present invention provides a rotatable drink opening cover for a conventional beverage container. The container has a tab actuator pivotably connected to the lid for displacing a shearable tab, thereby exposing a drink opening. The container has a lid, a lip disposed peripherally around the lid and extending above the lid.
The present invention is secured to the container by placing the devise under the tab actuator, on the lid, and within the lip of the container. The devise is adapted to receive and engage the tab actuator and is rotated in concert with the tab actuator to cover and uncover the drink opening. The devise is minimally dimensioned to cover the drink opening.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a rotatable drink opening cover that is inexpensive to manufacture, convenient to carry, minimizes spillage, easily applied and removed by the consumer, is reusable, and prevents the entry of objectionable debris including insects.